Happy Birthday, Kouji!
by Waking Hyde
Summary: It's the twins birthday! Kouji wants to surprise Kouichi, but in the end, he's the surprised one.


**A/N: **Yay, happy birthday, Caellie!! Well, since it's my birthday, I thought I'd post a little one-shot about the birthday of our favourite twins. It's basically rather plotless, but I tried to make it sweet. Considering I sat one hour just figuring out what to write, it might be kinda... odd... But anyways, read and tell me what you think!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Kouji, Kouichi, or anything else in this story. So there.

* * *

"Happy Birthday, Kouji!" Satomi exclaimed happily while Kousei handed a neatly wrapped gift over to Kouji. Kouji smiled faintly, not because he was not happy, but because he was not the kind of person to smile very much. Judging by the form, long and thin, it was a new kendo stick. And, as he opened it up, he found that it was. His smile widened a bit. Just what he had wished for.

"Thanks, Mom, Dad," he said, looking up. Satomi smiled brightly and bent down to hug him. Although slightly taken aback, Kouji wasn't surprised. It was such a typical thing from Satomi. Even though she wasn't his real mother, he still loved her, and she loved him. He knew that. But he also loved his _real _mother, Tomoko, and of course his twin brother Kouichi. Speaking of which, it was Kouichi's birthday today too!

Quickly, he leapt up from the couch and made for the door. Satomi, surpised that her hug ended so suddenly blinked at him. Kousei, on the other hand jumped up and grabbed Kouji's arm.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down!" he said, forcing Kouji to stop. Kouji slowly turned around with a small glare. Kousei, however, was used to his sons behaviour and was not affected by it. "Where do you think you're going, young man? Take a moment to relax, it's your birthday!" Kouji shrugged his hand off.

"Yeah, but it's Kouichi's birthday too!" he said, clearly annoyed. "And as I've got nothing better to do right now, I'd like to go visit him. You know, surprise visit... Or is it bad to hang out with your twin brother on your birthday?"

Kousei sighed. "How do you know he's even at home?" he asked. Kouji blinked twice.

"What? Why wouldn't he?" he asked confused.

"Maybe he and Tomoko has some kind of tradition on his birthday," Kousei explained. "Like, going to the beach, or something. Maybe you should call him and check first."

"But, Dad, that'll ruin the whole surprise-thing!" Kouji sighed. Kousei shrugged.

"Does it have to be a surprise?"

Realizing that he'd lost, Kouji went over to the phone, grumbling to himself. Quickly dialing the number to Kouichi's cell, he held the phone impatiently to his ear. When he didn't get an immediate answer, he started stomping with his foot. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity (but in reality was only eight seconds) Tomoko picked up.

_"Moshi-moshi?" _she said softly.

What, why was Tomoko answering Kouichi's cell phone? Wait, maybe this meant that he could still surprise Kouichi! Kouji thought.

_"Hello?" _Tomoko asked when no one answered. Kouji quickly snapped back into reality.

"Hi, Mother," Kouji said with.

_"Oh, hi Kouji,"_ Tomoko said brightly_. "Happy birthday!"_ Kouji smiled a bit.

"Thanks."

_"So, has your birthday so far been good?" _she started curiously. Genuin curiousity. Kouji wondered how something like that could be really interesting.

"Yeah, great," he said, before continuing. "Hey, is Kouichi home?"

_"Uhm..." _Tomoko hesitated. Kouji frowned. _"He's... not. He's... out..."_

Kouji raised an eyebrow. "Out? Did he forget his cell?"

_"Yes..."_

"Okay, do you know when he'll come back?"

It was silent for a while. _"No, but I can let you know when he returns," _she finally said, albeit a bit reluctant.

"Right, thanks, Mother."

_"You're welcome, Kouji honey!"_ Tomoko said, now in the bright tone she'd used earlier.

"Okay, nice to talk to you, bye!"

_"Bye, Kouji!"_

It clicked in the other end as Tomoko hung up. Slowly, Kouji put the phone down too, and turned to his parents.

"So? Was he at home?" Satomi inquired. Kouji shook his head.

"No, apparently, he was... out..." he said with a frown. Kousei raised an eyebrow.

"Told you so."

"What's your point?" Kouji said sourly. Kousei chuckled.

"Nothing," he said with a smile considerably larger than his son's. Kouji rolled his eyes, while Satomi laughed of them both.

"Say, Kouji, is there something else you want now?" Kousei asked after a while. Kouji shook his head.

"Nah, can't really think of something," he said with a lighter tone than usual. Satomi cocked her head.

"No?" she said. "Is there nothing we can do for our little birthday boy?" Kouji scowled at the nickname, but shrugged.

"Not really."

Kousei and Satomi looked at each other for a brief second before turning to Kouji again, both with a mishievious look in their eyes. Kouji, however didn't notice, as he was staring out the window to the street outside, as if looking for Kouichi. Suddenly and without a warning, Kousei put both of his hands on Kouji's shoulder, rather harshly too, making the boy jump, then glare at his father.

"What was that for?!" he spat out. Kousei smiled with a glint in his eyes.

"I felt like it," he said playfully. Kouji, however, was still as grumpy as ever.

"Riiight..." he said slowly. Kousei blinked.

"Yeah, it's true," he said merrily. "And now, I feel like eating lunch outside in the lovely weather that the gods have granted you on your birthday, although you don't seem to appreciate it." Kouji blinked as he tried to decipher the rapidly spoken sentence his father had just uttered. But before he was done, however, Kousei pulled him out to their garden.

Where something unexpected waited.

"SURPRISE!" Takuya, Zoe, JP, Tommy, Tomoko and Kouichi yelled at him as they came into sight. Kouji looked dumbfounded for a second, then stared at Kousei and Satomi, who were smiling. Then he looked to his friends and mother.

"Wha- what?" he said,uncertain.

"Happy birthday, silly!" Zoe said with a grin. JP nodded.

"Yeah, this is a surprise party, man!" he said, indicating around them. For the first time, Kouji looked around, and noted that their entire garden was covered in different colourful party-decorations, new flowers, gifts and tables with drinks and food.

"Whoa..." Kouji muttered. Then he smiled. A wide smile. Not the faint Kouji-smile, but a proper smile.

"Thanks, guys."

"Hey, don't thank us," Takuya said grinning. "It was all Kouichi's idea. Planned it for a week and stuff." Of course, a week of planning seemed like much to Takuya. Even ten minutes of planning seemed like much to him.

Kouji looked at Kouichi, who only smiled shyly.

"Nah, everyone helped," he said quietly. "I couldn't have done it without you guys." Tomoko chuckled.

"Aw, come on, Kouichi, don't be so modest about it!" Takuya said and flung an arm around said boy.

Kouji eyed his twin happily. No one had ever arranged a surprise party for him before, and he'd barely had any other birthday parties with friends. So naturally, he didn't know what to do or say. Except for one thing.

Without a word, Kouji walked over to Kouichi and pulled him in a close hug. Kouichi was a bit surprised at first, but quickly returned the embrace.

"Happy birthday, Kouji."

"Happy birthday, Kouichi. And thanks."

Kouichi chuckled and they separated.

"Isn't this what you are supposed to do for your little brother?" Kouichi said with a smile. Kouji frowned.

"But it's your birthday too!" he said, a bit mad at his twin for ignoring himself. But Kouichi only shook his head.

"It doesn't matter to me," he said. "I've had lots of birthday parties. But Satomi told me you've never had any."

Kouji turned to Satomi, who also smiled, although a bit sad.

"You know it's true, Kouji," she said. "You've never had a gathering of friends wishing you happy birthday. Kouichi thought it was sad, and decided to do something about it."

"But I have!" Kouji protested. "In third grade - "

"One guest doesn't qualify as a party, Kouji," Kousei said seriously. Kouji looked defeated. Then he turned to Kouichi again.

"But Kouichi, please," he said, a bit guilty. "Why would you only arrange a party for me?" _'Why don't you think of yourself?!'_

Kouichi smiled warmly. "Because meeting you was the greatest gift I'll ever receive," he said quietly, never looking away from his twin's eyes. "Now, it makes me happy knowing that you're happy."

Finally, Kouji got it.

"Okay, then," he said sternly. "I'm happy." Kouichi smiled again.

"Then I'm happy too." A new hug.

"Aw, isn't that cute?" Zoe whispered to Takuya. When she didn't get an answer, she turned around to face him. But he was gone.

"Takuya?" she asked, looking around her. Then she spotted him. At the cake table.

"Takuya, you PIG!" she yelled at him, gaining everyone's attention. "Stop eating all of the cakes!"

"I'm not!" Takuya protested, although no one could understand, as his mouth was full of cookies.

"Hey! I made those myself!" Zoe continued, pointing at the rest of the cookies. Takuya swallowed.

"Yeah, you made them to eat them, right?" he said nervously. "I mean, what's the point of baking cookies if you don't eat them?"

"Takuya you, - AARGH!" Zoe yelled out in frustration and started chasing him around the lawn. The others laughed, even Kouji.

'_Oh, isn't it ironic?' _he thought. _'I was supposed to surprise him, instead, he surprised me. I guess he's really the world's best brother.'_

* * *

Oh, come on, you all saw that coming, right? Anyways, please tell me what you think!

Caellie


End file.
